


Only for a Year

by kikabennet



Series: Raising Yevgeny Milkovich [21]
Category: Shameless (US)
Genre: Cute Kids, Family Fluff, M/M, Married Life, Married Sex, Moving, daddy!ian gallagher, daddy!mickey milkovich
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-01-29
Updated: 2016-03-21
Packaged: 2018-05-16 23:53:11
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,279
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5845816
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kikabennet/pseuds/kikabennet
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Mickey is offered a job far away and the family has to make a decision. Another multi-chapter and part of the "Raising Yevgeny Milkovich" series.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, so this story is kind of taking a turn from the usual direction, but somebody actually suggested Svetlana just go away and I couldn't really do that without making her a bad mother or killing her so is the best I could do. I hope you enjoy it! It's going to be a multi-chapter, and, yes, I am still working on prompts. I appreciate all of the kudos, comments, and suggestions :)

It was late Friday evening when Svetlana dropped the kids off. Mickey and Ian were already cleaning the dishes from dinner.

“It's about goddamn time,” Mickey said, answering the door, trying to sound irritated, but when Gavrel hugged him, he couldn't hide how relieved he was.

“Alex took them to the movies,” Svetlana explained. “He's been promising to take them to see...something, and it ran late.”

“That was nice of him,” Ian said, joining Mickey at the door. He kissed Gavrel on top of his head, who let go of Mickey and held onto him.

“Anyway,” Svetlana said with a shrug. “I already told the school, but I'm keeping them out Monday.”

“How come?” Mickey asked, letting them all inside.

“I have to take them to get all of their passports in order-” Svetlana began, but Mickey cut her off.

“Whoa, hold-passports?” He frowned. “The fuck do they need passports for?”

“I tell you,” Svetlana said, sounding irritated. “They go on trip with me when school is out. First week. Moscow.”

“No,” Mickey replied pointedly. “You said 'a trip'. You didn't say fucking Moscow.”

“Well, okay!” Svetlana threw her arms up in defense. “They need passports to go to Moscow.”

“They ain't goin' to Moscow,” Mickey said simply. “No fuckin' way.”

Ian looked between the ex-spouses like World War Three might erupt right in the living room. He picked up Izzy and asked neutrally, “Goin' to see family?”

“Yes, and my home,” Svetlana said, looking at Mickey daringly. “Their heritage. On both sides.”

“My mother was Ukrainian,” Mickey pointed out. “There's a difference.”

“Alex is going too,” she said. “He's been before. He came back with all of his fingers and toes.”

“I don't care if Alex went to the fuckin' moon,” Mickey said. “You can go to Russia. Alex can go to Russia. My kids are NOT goin' to Russia.”

“OUR kids,” Svetlana replied hotly. “And if you want to argue with me about it, we do it later. If not, I walk out the door, with kids, and they come back home with me.”

“ 'Lana,” Ian said, nodding understandingly and prodding the kids to go into the kitchen.

She nodded back at Ian and that irked Mickey. He'd always hated it how they had such a good relationship and had little understanding nods and inside jokes and what not. Of course, he and Svetlana got along just fine most of the time, but he never spent forever on the phone with her or went school clothes shopping for the kids with her or went out to lunch, all of the things Ian did wit her. Mickey had decided long ago that he loved Svetlana the same way he loved Mandy. He didn't have to necessarily _like_ her all the time, but he would do anything to keep her safe and happy because he at least cared about her.

“I see you on Monday, bring you back to Papa's Monday night so you can stay until Wednesday,” she told the kids, taking Yevgeny's chin in her hand and kissing him on the mouth.

“Love you.” Yevgeny hugged her.

“Be good.” She kissed Gavrel and tugged on his ear playfully.

“Love you,” Gavrel said, grinning and pulling away from her touch.

She said something to Izzy in Russian and kissed her too.

“Love you, Mama,” Izzy said, running over to try and climb up Ian, who picked her up and threw her over one shoulder, her face facing his.

Once Svetlana was gone, Mickey locked the door behind her and asked the kids, “You three didn't think to mention you were planning on going to Russia?”

“We thought you knew,” Yevgeny said honestly.

“Well, you ain't goin', I'll tell you that,” Mickey replied. “There's a reason your mom left that shithole country.”

“Mickey,” Ian said with an annoyed sigh.

Mickey looked at him, eyebrows raised.

====================================================================

Ian wrestled and rough-housed on the living room floor with the kids for a while, and noticed Mickey staring intently at his phone, but he didn't want to ask if he was text-message fighting with Svetlana for the sake of their kids. Mickey seemed to catch on that Ian was watching him and put his phone away, joining his husband and children on the living room floor where he growled and tickled them and slammed them onto the couch cushions. When he was finally too exhausted to go on, Gavrel was hanging from his neck and Ian had Yevgeny practically upside down and Izzy trapped between his legs.

Izzy managed to wriggle free and climbed onto Mickey's lap. She pinched his nipple, hard.

“Ow!” He said, and Ian clapped his hands and laughed at him.

“That was good,” Ian said quietly, still chuckling.

Mickey stared at Izzy and she grinned at him.

“Punch you in the throat,” he muttered, shoving her away.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“They ain't goin' to Russia,” Mickey said as he and Ian prepared for bed.

“Maybe this wouldn't be such a bad thing,” Ian replied, somewhat hesitantly. “I mean, it's an opportunity for them, Mick.”

“ 'Opportunity'?” Mickey repeated, his eyebrows raising high enough to touch his hairline. “For what?”

“To learn about their heritage,” Ian said. “I mean, come on, they speak Russian. Think of what it could be like for them if they could speak it there.”

“And what if something goes wrong, huh?” Mickey asked him. “They're across the world and something terrible happens and we don't even fucking know about it.”

“It's not the seventh circle of Hell,it's just another country” Ian pointed out. “And it'd only be for two weeks.”

“I can't believe you're okay with the idea,” Mickey said, climbing into bed.

“Well, if I could go to Russia, I would,” Ian admitted sheepishly. “We should want them to be able to have opportunities like this.”

“Stop saying opportunity,” Mickey said sourly, and Ian kissed his forehead.

Mickey decided sex would do them both good, and just as his hand started to snake for Ian's pajama bottoms, the door opened and Yevgeny poked his head in. Mickey pulled his hand away.

“What are you guys doing?” He asked.

“Checking Dad for lice,” Ian said, and Mickey slapped his arm.

“What are YOU doing?” Mickey asked their son. “Your little butt's supposed to be in bed already.”

“Are you mad at Mom?” The ten-year-old asked worriedly. It was obvious that it had been bothering him a while.

Ian stared at Mickey, who sighed and said, “No, Kid. I'm not mad at Mom. I'm just worried about this trip she wants to take.”

“Maybe you and Dad could go too,” Yevgeny suggested, perking up slightly. “We could all go.”

“I couldn't take off two weeks from work,” Mickey said apologetically.

Yevgeny said in a small voice, “Oh” and Ian stood up to hug and kiss him.

“It'll all work out,” he told him, rubbing his hair affectionately. “Now go to bed. It's late, Buddy.”

Yevgeny nodded and left the room.

“Man, we're getting' to be fuckin' pros when that door opens,” Mickey said and Ian hit him with a pillow before climbing on top of him.

 

============================================================================================

“Hey,” Ian said when Mickey came home from work on Monday. Svetlana had already picked up the kids. “I'm about to go for a run. Wanna come?”

He noticed Mickey looked bothered.

“Talk to me,” he said, moving behind his husband and wrapping his arms around him. “Jesus, Mickey, you smell like motor oil.”

“Got some news today,” Mickey told him, and Ian let go. “The company wants to transfer me.”

“Transfer where?” Ian asked warily.

“Anchorage,” Mickey said.

Ian let out a breathy laugh. “Anchorage as in Alaska Anchorage?”

Mickey nodded. “There's a spot opening up there for supervisor on the ship channel. It pays a fuck-ton of money. It's only a fourteen month job, and I'd come back to my position here after it's done.”

“You're going to Alaska?” Ian asked, frowning. “Mickey, the fuck. You can't up and go-”

“I'm not,” Mickey said, slightly irritated. “Jesus. Don't get your briefs in a bunch.”

He sat down at the kitchen table, chair scooted back, legs apart, and drummed his fingers against the tabletop. Ian sat in the chair opposite of him. For several seconds, neither of them said anything.

“They offered us a house up there,” Mickey said. “I mean, we'd pay utilities, but the company pays for the actual house.”

“Wait, you mean take the kids?” Ian asked.

Mickey nodded. “But you know, there's 'Lana and she'd flip her shit if I asked her if I could take the kids to Alaska for a year.”

“Especially after you flipped your shit when she wanted to take the kids to Russia for a week,” Ian pointed out.

He slumped down in his chair and muttered, “I bet there's a lot of teaching positions in Anchorage.”

For a while, it had been difficult to hold a teaching job because Illinois continuously cut funding and that usually started with the teachers.

“Maybe we could talk to her,” Ian said. “I mean, she'll most likely say no, but it doesn't hurt to ask, right?”

“She will definitely say no,” Mickey said. “I'm not gonna take that job. I couldn't be away from the kids for fourteen fuckin' months.”

========================================================================================

“We're back!” Gavrel said when Ian opened the door to Svetlana and the kids. “We got our passport pictures taken!”

Svetlana rubbed his head and prodded him inside. She asked Ian and Mickey, “Do you want them until Wednesday or me to take them now?”

“No, we want 'em,” Mickey said, sounding indignant. He rubbed Yevgeny's hair.

Ian looked between his husband and the mother of their children.

“Ian told me about Anchorage,” she said with a shrug.

“Don't worry,” Mickey said. “I'd never take it, alright?”

“You're afraid to discuss things with me,” she said.

“What? You're tellin' me you'd let us take the kids that far for a year?” Mickey asked, knowing that wasn't at all possible.

“Alex has been looking for new ways to practice medicine,” she said. “New places. Maybe if you went, who knows? We go too.”

“To Alaska?” Yevgeny asked, his eyes widening.

“Wait, so you're willing to go to Alaska?” Mickey asked skeptically.

“I'm willing to go wherever my children go,” she said, and then sighed. “I guess I'm not good at discussing things with you either. I should have told you the trip was to Russia.”

“Yeah, you should have,” Micke replied bluntly.

“I still get their passports,” Svetlana said. “But I take them maybe when they get a little bit older. Maybe when Izzy is five or six.”

Mickey wanted to tell her that his kids were NEVER going to Russia, but he knew better than to argue with her right now. The best he could get was her postponing the trip. He picked Gavrel up and asked stupidly, “Wanna stay for dinner? Ian's fryin' some fish and cooking some of those red potatoes.”

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

“You're moving to Alaska?” Carl asked, his eyes widening.

Ian was having dinner with his family to tell them the news. It had been one month since the decision had been made. Svetlana and Alex had talked it over with Ian and Mickey and Alex had happily began searching for doctor positions in Anchorage. The only downside was he and Svetlana would be joining them about a month later so he could get everything in order with his house and current practice.

“That's great, Ian,” Fiona said, smiling. Ian had talked to her and Lip about it non-stop.

Ian, who was holding baby Rory, smiled modestly.

“We're really excited,” he said.

“Well, we're excited for you,” Jimmy said and raised his plastic glass full of Coke. “To the Milkoviches.”

The other Gallaghers raised their glasses. “To the Milkoviches.”

“It's only for a year,” Ian reminded them.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Mickey and Ian didn't get the kids for a solid month. Since Svetlana and Alex would stay behind for a little while, they wanted all the time they could have with Yevgeny, Gavrel, and Izzy. The first two weeks, Ian and Mickey were in heaven. They could have sex anywhere in the house (and in between packing, they had sex _everywhere_ in the house), smoke pot, and not have to worry about making sure lunches were packed, soccer jerseys were clean, and there was no obnoxious preschool channel constantly playing on televison.

After the first two weeks, however, they missed all of it. They missed the loud thump thump THUMP THUMP sound of little feet constantly coming up and down the stairs. They missed play wrestling and dancing in the living room. They missed taking the kids jogging and shooting with them. They even missed the whining.

“I know it sounds terrible,” Ian said, lying on the couch with Mickey as some sort of lesser known made-for-tv action movie played quietly. “But we're gonna get to have the kids for two whole months without having to share them with Svetlana and Alex.”

“Yeah, and it'll be summer too,” Mickey added. “No dealin' with all that school shit.”

“And you're alright with Iggy and Mandy staying at the house?” Ian asked. “I mean, I'm definitely okay with it.”

“As long as they pay the bills, I don't give a fuck,” Mickey replied.

Ian grinned and kissed the corner of his mouth.

“Will you give me a fuck?” He asked.

“Yeah, alright,” Mickey said with a sigh. “If I can get up. Fuck. Without the kids around I feel so goddamn lazy.”

“Well, then in that case,” Ian said, standing up and pulling Mickey up with him. “I'm gonna put your ass to work. You're gonna fuck me.”

“Won't that be puttin' YOUR ass to work?” Mickey joked dryly, letting Ian drag him upstairs.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Get up, sleepy-faces,” Ian said, walking into the boys' room. “We gotta plane to catch.”

Yevgeny raised his head sleepily, his hair sticking up in every direction.

“What time is it?” He asked, squinting at the light his father had just turned on.

“Four am,” Ian said. “Our flight is at six, though, so we have to get up now and get ready to go to the airport.”

He shook Gavrel lightly and murmured something close to his face. Gavrel made a noise of disapproval and Ian patted his butt.

“Get up,” he said. “Come on, if we leave fast enough we can stop and grab McDonalds for breakfast.”

“I like McDonalds,” Yevgeny said, sitting up.

In the room next door, they heard Izzy start wailing miserably. Ian smiled affectionately, knowing Mickey just woke her up. To his satisfaction, he heard Mickey say, “Don't you lay your ass back down. Get up, Iz. Got shit to do.”

“Get out, Daddy!” He heard Izzy sob. “I'm sleepy!”

“You can sleep in the car. Get up.”

Mickey walked into the boys' room carrying Izzy, whose eyes were closed, thumb in her mouth. Ian raised his eyebrows at his husband.

“ 'm just gonna let her sleep in the car,” Mickey grumbled. “There's no law saying say she can't wear pajamas on a plane.”

“Oh, yeah!” Gavrel shot up like a rocket. “We're gonna go on a airplane!”

He jumped out of bed in his t-shirt and underwear and ran to grab his clothes Ian already had sitting out for him on top of one of the many moving boxes Iggy and Mandy would eventually be shipping their way. Yevgeny got out of bed too and Ian tickled him, making him shrink downward.

“Izzy?” Ian asked their daughter in Mickey's arms softly. “Izzy Dizzy?”

“No!” Izzy replied sharply, her eyes still closed.

“No what?” Ian asked, trying not to laugh.

“I punch you in the throat,” Izzy said, burying her face deeper in between Mickey's neck and collarbone.

“Fuck. she told you,” Mickey said, grinning. He bounced her slightly and kissed the top of her head.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The airport was a nightmare. Not a single one of them had ever been on a plane before, so everything about flying was foreign. Fiona and Jimmy drove them, and the kids were cranky the whole way. Once at the airport, they continued to get lost and couldn't seem to find where they were supposed to be. Yevgeny and Gavrel kept getting distracted by everything around them and would slow them down, causing both Ian and Mickey to snap at them without really meaning to. Izzy refused to walk, but with their luggage it was difficult to tote her too, so they just kept trading off.

When they were finally, FINALLY on the plane, Ian took a seat with the little ones-Gavrel by the window and Izzy in the middle and Mickey sat a row ahead of them with Yevgeny. Both men sighed, just happy to be in the right place on time.

“Are you nervous, Dad?” Yevgeny asked, smiling as he turned away from the window.

“A little,” Mickey said. “You?”

“It's only for a year,” his son said with a shrug.

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am sooooo terribly sorry for how long it took to update. The next chapter will up be up much sooner now that I'm back in kid mode:) As usual, I appreciate all feedback-comments and kudos, and remember to shoot me any ideas you might have involving the Milkovich family's fourteen month Alaskan adventure.

“This is our house?” Gavrel exclaimed as the Milkovich family put in the security code and stepped inside the large two-story structure that would be their home for the next fourteen months. Gavrel's little voice echoed because of the wooden floors.

“It's so big,” Yevgeny said, looking around.

Izzy laughed and squealed and began running around, loving the excitement of a place that was new and empty. Mickey and Ian looked at one another and dropped their carry on bags.

“So I guess the living room's in here,” Ian said, walking between two wood and glass doors that closed together and opened separately.

“So what the fuck is this room?” Mickey asked, referring to the room they had entered.

“A sitting room maybe?” Ian shrugged, too involved in exploring. Gavrel jogged up to him and held his arms to be held. Ian absent-mindedly picked him up.

“Oh my gosh!” They heard Yevgeny exclaim. “Come look at the kitchen! Dad! Daddy Ian! Hurry!”

“I wanna see!” Izzy said, running after his voice.

Ian and Mickey and Gavrel followed them and Ian's eyebrows went up.

“Holy shit,” he said with a small laugh.

“This your dream kitchen or what?” Mickey asked, also laughing a little.

The kitchen was large with enough cabinet space for two families. There was space for a table and an island wide enough to use as a table with bar stools seated around it. Izzy opened one of the lower cabinets and climbed inside.

“Where are we again?” Gavrel asked. “We're not in Illinois anymore, right?”

“Yeah.” Mickey nodded. “We're in Anchorage, Alaska.”

“I wanna see upstairs,” Yevgeny said.

The stairs were carpeted and went up in a spiral shape. The kids thumped up them loudly, leaving Ian and Mickey alone for just a few minutes. Mickey looked at Ian.

“You okay?” He asked.

“It's new,” Ian said in a small voice, with a small smile.

Mickey pulled him closer by the side of his head and kissed his temple. Even in all of the newness and excitement, it was certainly a big change from the home they were used to.

“Dad!” Yevgeny called. “There are five bedrooms up here! We could all have our own room! Even you and Daddy Ian!”

Ian and Mickey went upstairs to find the kids popping in and out of rooms. Ian went into the room Yevgeny was exploring. He looked out the window where thick trees blocked the view of the land beyond. Through the trees, mountains could be seen in the distance.

“You want this room?” He asked, putting an arm around his eldest son's shoulder.

“Yeah.” Yevgeny nodded, pointing to a corner. “I'm gonna put my bed right there. And over there-look, Dad-”

“I'm looking,” Ian assured him, smiling at the ten-year-old's excitement.

“I'm gonna put my TV and my games and stuff over here,” Yevgeny told him.

Izzy ran into the room and grabbed hold of Ian's waist, pressing her face into the seat of his pants.

“Dizzy,” Ian said. “Why do you have your face in my butt?”

Izzy laughed and pulled away.

“Which room do you want, Izzy?” Yevgeny asked her.

“Um,” Izzy said. “Come on, I'll show you. Come on, Daddy.”

She dragged Ian by the wrist into one of the other rooms-the master bedroom.

“This one,” she said. “Because it has a potty.”

“This is mine and Daddy's room,” Ian told her. “It's the grown up room.”

Mickey followed them inside and Izzy ran to hug him, jumping up for him to hold her. He picked her up.

“I'm fucking beat,” he said. “Why don't we head into town and find food? The movers should come over later.”

“We don't have a car,” Gavrel pointed out, coming into the room. “We're gonna walk?”

“That car that's outside is ours,” Ian told him. “Daddy's work is letting us drive it while we're here.”

“Wow!” Gavrel grinned. “So they gave us a house and a car?”

Izzy started whining when Mickey tried to put her down.  
“Fuck, Iz, stop it!” He snapped, but she didn't stop.

“Come here, Diz.” Ian took her and gave her a big kiss. “You're tired.”

“Let's go get food,” Yevgeny said.

================================================

 

“Daddy!”

 

It was the third night in a row Izzy had walked into their bedroom screaming. The Milkovich family had been in Anchorage for two weeks now, just about moved in, and their time there had been a blur of unpacking old things that arrived by mail, purchasing new things, and exploring their new surroundings.

“Fuck. Again?” Mickey grumbled sleepily.

Ian didn't even raise his head from his pillow. Izzy pushed their bedroom door open all the way and made her way over to their bed, taking in huge gulps of air as she sobbed.

“I want Mama,” she cried.

Ian sat up and rubbed tiredly at his eyes. He silently motioned for her to climb onto the bed and held her against his bare chest.

“Mama and Alex will be here in a couple of weeks,” he said, just like he'd told her the night before and the night before that.

“I want my Mama!” She cried harder.

Ian looked tiredly at Mickey, who stared tiredly at Izzy.

“Go to sleep,” he told her, taking her from Ian and trying to lay her down between them. Izzy began screaming bloody murder and kicking the mattress.

“Izzy!” Mickey raised his voice. “That's _enough._ Jesus.”

“Mama!” Izzy screamed. “Mama!”

Ian and Mickey watched her fit play out, sleep being the only thing on their minds since they'd gotten so little of it lately.

“Khochu Mama!” Izzy wailed.

“The fuck? What are you? Possessed?” Mickey asked groggily.

“ 's Russian, Mickey,” Ian said with a yawn.

“Izzy!” Mickey snapped, smacking her lightly on the bottom. “Chill the fuck out. Mama is far away and she'll be here later.”

Izzy let out a shriek then and by that time, Yevgeny and Gavrel were standing in the doorway.

“Your sister's having a big-ass tantrum,” Mickey told them, looking at her.

“She wants Mama,” Gavrel said, climbing onto the bed. “I want Mama too.”

“We are never gonna sleep again,” Mickey said to Ian with a sigh. He tugged on Gavrel's ear and said, “Hand me those pajama pants off the floor.”

Gavrel did as he was told and Mickey pulled them on over his boxers. He got up and picked Izzy up, who still continued to shriek and thrash.

“Where are you going?” Ian asked him warily.

“Where do you think I'm going?” Mickey asked him hotly.

“Don't spank her,” Ian warned. “She's upset.”

“I'm not gonna spank her,” Mickey said, indignant. “She needs to spanked. Needs a good ass whoopin'.”

He pretended to spank her, placing one of his hands over the back of her underwear and used his other to swat his own hand. The noise made Izzy shriek louder.

“I didn't pop you,” he told her.

“Daddy, put her down,” Gavrel told him sternly.

“The fuck is wrong with all of you?” Mickey asked. “She didn't start screaming because of me.”

“Actually she did,” Ian said. “When you tried to make her lay in the bed.”

  
“Fine!” Mickey snapped, trying to put her down, but she clung onto him like a starfish.

“No!” She screamed. “No, Daddy! No! No! No!”

Ian took out his cell phone and Mickey frowned at him.

“Don't call her,” he said childishly. “We've only been away two weeks. It's just an adjustment.”

Ian ignored him and Mickey rolled his eyes when he heard him say, “Hey, 'Lana.”

After some casual conversation, he motioned for Mickey to set Izzy back down on the bed. It was a fight to do so. Ian put the phone on speaker and laid it on the comforter.

“Isidora,” Svetlana said on the other line. “Hey, why you scream like that?”

“Mama,” Izzy whimpered, breathing heavily from her tirade.

“You're okay with your papas,” Her mother continued. “You are safe. I will see you soon, but you need this time with Papa, okay?”

“Mickey?” She said.

“Yeah,” Mickey replied in a flat voice.

“Take her to her own bed-are you listening?” She continued.

“Yes,” Mickey said, trying not to sound too cranky.

“Lay her on her stomach, don't let her flip over, cover her up her shoulders and pat her butt. It is like...rocking chair when they are babies.”

“Oh, yeah,” Gavrel said, nodding. “Mama pats Izzy sometimes. Right on her butt.”

“We can handle this,” Mickey said. “Okay, she's just in a new place, she's a little bit out of sorts-”

“Ian, you do it,” Svetlana said.

“Kay,” Ian replied.

“Gavrel? Yevgeny?” Their mother said and then something in Russian. In English, she said, “I love you. You be good to your papas.”

“Okay, Mom,” Yevgeny said. “I love you.”

“Love you, Mama!” Gavrel said, crouched on all fours as he leaned down and kissed the phone screen. “I kissed you, Mama!”

“Tomorrow we do...how you call...face time,” Svetlana said.

After she hung up, Ian stood up and picked Izzy up. Without a word, he carried her to her own bedroom and Mickey, Gavrel, and Yevgeny listened as her shrieks ad wails subsided into whimpers and then a steady 'uhhh-uhhhh-uhhhh' sound until it was silent.

“Alright, you two.” Mickey picked Gavrel up. “Bed.”

When Ian returned to the room, he stared at Mickey, who climbed back into bed scowling.

“I'm not putting up with that every night until Svetlana gets here,” Ian told him.

“She won't do it every single night,” Mickey said. “We can handle this. I mean, fuck, Ian. They're our kids too.”

“I know that,” Ian said, climbing into bed. “But they're not used to not having just us.”

Mickey fumed silently. Ian looked at him.

“I know that we had this big fantasy about having the kids all to ourselves,” he told him. “But, Mickey, be serious.”

“Whatever.” Mickey rolled over.

Ian rolled him back over. Mickey stared up at him.

“What?” He asked.

Ian climbed in between his legs and tugged at his pajama bottoms and boxers.

“Really?” Mickey asked, but smiled just a little.

“We're already up,” Ian said with a small shrug and the slightest hint of a smirk.

Mickey couldn't help but grin all the way as Ian went down on him, giving him a much needed blow job.

“Don't- Ian, fuck, stop,” Mickey told him.

Ian pulled off.

“Where's the stuff?” Mickey asked, sitting up. “After that shit storm, I need an actual fuck.”

 

To Be Continued...

 


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delayed update and shortness of this chapter, but I am getting back on track with the series! Hope you enjoy and please ask any questions or request situations in the comments. Thanks!

They had been in Anchorage, Alaska for exactly a month. Well, one month the following day, but Mickey counted it. Izzy had stopped her nightly wails and all three children were adjusting fairly well without splitting half the week with their mother.

He was watching television when Gavvie burst in through the front door, followed by Yevgeny and finally Izzy. In Izzy's arms was a large, brown cat. Mickey stared at them, and then at the cat, which was very long and overweight. It was as almost as big as the three-year-old holding it.

“The fuck did you get that?” Mickey asked, standing up. “Take that thing outside!”

“He's hungry, Dad,” Yevgeny said. “He was on the porch meowing and he let us pet him.”

“He's so big!” Gavvie grinned, squatting down excitedly next to Izzy to be face to face with the cat.

“Take it outside,” Mickey ordered. “It's probably got fleas and shit.”

“He's hungry,” Izzy echoed her older brother. “And he's cold and all alone.”

The cat wriggled slightly, slipping out of Izzy's arms like cat-shaped Jell-O, and purred loudly as it moved between the children's legs, enjoying all of the special attention.

Ian walked into the living room from down the hall and stared at the cat.

“Daddy, look!” Izzy told him, stroking the cat's fur. “He was outside!”

“And you brought him inside,” Ian said with an amused smile. He squatted down and made a kissing noise at the cat, who instantly trotted over to be petted.

“Can he live here, Daddy?” Gavrel asked, also petting the cat.

“He might already belong to somebody,” Ian said.

“No, he doesn't,” Izzy said stubbornly. “He has no mom or dad. They were runned over.”

“They were?” Ian asked, his brows furrowing.

“She's making that part up,” Yevgeny said. “But he doesn't have a collar on.”

“We ain't keepin' a cat,” Mickey said, heading for the kitchen. “Cats are only good for one thing. Filling potholes.”

“We'll take him to the vet,” Ian suggested. “See if he's chipped.”

“And what if he isn't?” Yevgeny asked suspiciously.

Ian hesitated, watching the cat walk around and inspect the living room, sniffing the furniture and rubbing his nose and lips against it.

“I wanna keep him!” Izzy said hotly, prepared to throw a great, big tantrum. “He's my cat!”

“Hey!” Mickey snapped, re-entering the room with a bottle of water.

“We'll scoop his litter box,” Yevgeny promised. “And brush his hair so he doesn't cough up hairballs.”

“We won't need a litter box,” Gavvie pointed out. “There's a dog door in the kitchen. He can poop outside.”

“Look at that big-ass cat climbin' on the couch,” Mickey said, frowning.

The large, purring cat hopped onto the sofa and curled up, squinting contently at the family who stared back at him. Ian sighed and looked at Mickey, who scowled at him.

“No,” Mickey said sternly. “I don't do cats.”

“C'mere,” Ian muttered, dragging Mickey away into the kitchen. Once they were alone, he said, “The move has been fucking hard on them. You know that.”

“Yeah, I know that,” Mickey agreed. “But that doesn't mean we have to let a fuckin' stray cat in here so it can claw up all the furniture.”

“It's less work than a dog,” Ian pointed out. “Svetlana and Alexa aren't coming for another month, remember? It's already gonna be hard enough breaking that news to the kids.”

Svetlana had informed them that they had been held back another month in Chicago waiting on a house to rent. Ian and Mickey had yet to tell the kids, who looked forward to their mother's arrival every single day.

“This will soften the blow,” Ian continued. “We tell them that Lana's been delayed a couple more weeks, and they can have the cat.”

Mickey was silent, contemplating all of this. He knew he didn't have much of an argument. Ian stared at him, waiting for him to respond.

“Fine,” Mickey said. “But I ain't cleanin' up no cat shit, and it's not allowed in the bedroom.”

“Okay,” Ian said, nodding.

 

They walked back into the living room where all three kids were sitting on the sofa on either side of the cat, petting him. The cat purred loudly, raising its head to be scratched on the chin by Yevgeny, who seemed to be the most gentle.

“So,” Ian said, clapping his hands together. “What are we gonna name this guy?”

“We can keep him?!” Gavrel exclaimed excitedly. “Yay!”

“Yay!” Izzy repeated, wrapping her arms around the cat's neck.

“Let's name him Subzero,” Gavvie suggested. “Like in Mortal Kombat.”

“No,” Izzy whined. “Let's name him Juicy Banana.”

“Izzy, my God,” Mickey sighed, rolling his eyes.

“What do you think we should name him?” Yevgeny asked Ian.

“Um...” Ian squatted down to scratch the cat behind the ear. “He's pretty big.”

“Like an elephant,” Izzy agreed. “Let's name him Elephant.”

“How about Tank?” Ian suggested. “Like an army tank.”

He took the cat's arms in his hands and made canon sound effects as he waved them around, making the children squeal with laughter. The lazy cat didn't even stop purring as Ian puppeted him, and even closed his eyes.

“I like Tank,” Gavvie said.

“Yeah, Tank's good,” Yevgeny agreed.

“Tanky-Tanky,” Izzy cooed at the cat.

Ian took the children to the local grocery store to pick up cat foot, a dish, a cat brush, litter box, and litter. Mickey frowned at the receipt.

“Twenty bucks for a bag of litter?” He asked, staring at Ian.

“It's that fancy crystal litter,” Ian said. “So it doesn't stink as much.”

“I'm telling you,” Gavrel said, sounding exasperated. “He can use the dog door.”

 

=======================================================================================

 

Ian left the kids alone to fawn over the cat as he started dinner-hot dogs and potato chips since it was already getting kind of late and the excitement over the cat would have the kids eat less anyway. Tank greatly enjoyed all of the attention from the little ones, and once they finally sat down to eat their hot dogs, the old, fat cat wandered over to Mickey, who was sitting on the sofa watching TV.

“Mrow,” the cat bellowed at his feet.

“Beat it,” Mickey grumbled, taking a sip from his water bottle.

“Mmmmrrrrrrooooowwww,” the cat tried again, this time hopping onto couch, into Mickey's lap.

“Hey!” Mickey said loudly.

His volume didn't seem to bother Tank, who purred like he'd swallowed a beehive, and gently kneaded his claws into Mickey's jeans.

“You fucking dumb cat,” Mickey said, and turned his attention back to the TV screen.

Tank rubbed up against Mickey's shirt and finally curled up on his lap, sighing deeply. Mickey barely glanced at him before focusing on the sports game again.

“Tank!” Izzy called, skipping into the living room. “Here, Kitty-pie!”

She saw the cat on Mickey's lap and said, “Daddy, that's my cat.”

“Take him then,” Mickey said, still staring at the screen.

Izzy moved to sit beside her father, patting the cat's head. She looked at Mickey and said, “I think he likes you.”

“I don't like him,” Mickey said.

“When is Mama coming to Alaska?” Izzy asked.

Mickey turned the volume down on the television and said, “her house isn't ready yet. She'll be here in a couple of weeks, okay, Baby girl?”

“A couple of weeks?” Yevgeny repeated, sounding horrified as he entered the living room. “What?”

“What?” Gavvie repeated.

Ian came into the living room and said, “Come on, guys, we've been having a great time, right? We can wait on Mama and Alex just a little longer.”

“My mama!” Izzy wailed, bursting into tears.

Mickey pushed the cat from his lap to replace him with Izzy, who sobbed into his shirt. Yevgeny and Gavrel started crying too. Ian moved to the couch and the boys went to cry into his shirt.

“It's gonna be okay,” Ian said, rubbing their backs.

“I just miss Mama so much,” Gavvie said, choking out little hiccupy sobs.

“I know, Buddy,” Ian said. “And she misses you.”

Mickey stood up holding Izzy and walked her around the room. He looked helplessly at Ian, who stared back at him, shaking his head.

“We got a cat, though, right?” Mickey said, trying to ease their pain. “Thought you three wanted that cat.”

“I want Mama!” Izzy said angrily through her tears.

The cat, not concerned with the children's tears, washed himself and then headed for the kitchen. The sound of the dog door silenced all of them. Izzy raised her head from Mickey's shoulder.

“He used the dog door,” Gavvie said in a scratchy voice.

Ian smiled and nodded. Gavvie and Yevvie smiled too, letting Ian wipe at their wet eyes with the pads of his thumbs.

“He went poop outside!” Izzy laughed.

The kids temporarily forgot their woes and scurried into the kitchen to wait by the dog door. A few minutes later, Tank sauntered back in and rubbed against Yevgeny's leg.

“Mrow,” he meowed deeply.

 

=================================================================================================

 

Lying side by side, post sex, Ian and Mickey said nothing and simply stared up at the ceiling of the bedroom of their new home in Anchorage, Alaska.

“Is it horrible of me that I was kind of glad Svetlana and Alex got delayed another month?” Ian asked.

Mickey turned to look at him. “No.”

They both sat up on their elbows when a strange 'thunk' sounded at their door. A chubby, brown cat arm made its way under the door, moving around.

“Mrow.” They heard.

“The fuck?” Mickey frowned. “It wants in here?”

“I guess,” Ian said, laying back down.

“Better not come in here,” Mickey warned, also laying back down. “Don't you let that cat in here.”

“Mrow,” Tank tried again, still reaching under the door.

“Yevgeny!” Mickey called. “Gavvie! Izzy! Someone get that cat!”

In a few minutes they heard little feet and a bedroom door close in the distance and then there was no more meowing or paws under the door.

Ian rolled onto his side to kiss Mickey. Mickey deepened the kiss, and when they pulled apart, he said, “I don't like sharing the kids either.”

 

 


End file.
